Helpless
by My Wonky Socks
Summary: Becker catches Jess in the shooting range and the encounter raises several questions for both of them


****For the live journal Just Kiss Her community. **

**Prompt: I think the whole "future predators being in the ARC and almost killing her and Lester" would have a profound effect on Jess. I think it would make her stronger and more determined to keep everyone safe. I was thinking she sneaks back into the ARC every night after her shift has ended and goes to the armoury to practice shooting targets. Becker could stay late one night/come back to get something he forgot/fall asleep at his desk and catch her and ask her why she is there and preferably it should end with them kissing **

Becker rubbed his eyes and sighed, he was never going to finish this paperwork. A recent spike in the amount of anomalies hadn't given him time to take care of it and he'd gotten drastically behind.

He stood and stretched out his stiff muscles, deciding to take a break and go shoot a couple targets before returning to the paperwork. When he reached the target range, he swiped his armband under the entry keypad and walked in, stopping in his tracks as he heard the sound of gunfire.

_Who would be here this late? _he thought, walking deeper into the room.

The sight in front of him shocked him. Jess stood, gun raised in front of her, firing at the target. Her shot was slightly off center, her stance completely wrong, he noted out of habit of correcting his men. She looked completely focused, and frustrated. Becker walked forwards and put one hand between her shoulder blades, and the other on her hip, causing her to jump and fire wide before dropping the gun.

Becker cursed himself for sneaking up on her, "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

Jess removed her headgear and turned to face him, swatting his arm, "Were you trying to give me a heart attack?" she cried.

"No…just help with your aim. I wasn't thinking that you didn't know I was here….Why are you here?"

"I'm practicing," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I realize that, but why after everyone has left at…one in the morning? If you wanted to learn to shoot, I would have more than happily taught you," he replied.

"I didn't want to bother you…you've had a lot on your plate. I just….I'm tired of being helpless Becker…"

"Jessica, what are you talking about? You are not helpless. If it weren't for your voice in our ear on every mission…there are several times one of us could have died."

"That's just it Becker, I want to be able to protect this team by doing more than just staring at a damn computer screen!" she cried exasperated, "If something like what happened when Lester and I were here alone, happened again…I want to be able to do more than follow him around like a terrified puppy!" she exclaimed.

Becker stared at her wide eyed, partly because he didn't think he'd ever heard her curse, and partly because he felt like an idiot for not having considered giving the field coordinator safety training sooner.

"Jess…I'm sorry, I should have made sure you knew how to defend yourself. I should have taught you myself, but I didn't because…" he trailed off, catching himself before he admitted the real reason.

"Because what?" she pressed, expression softening into curiosity.

"Nothing, look why don't I start teaching you the basics tomorrow?"

"Because what, Becker?" she asked, "Why does teaching me basic defenses bother you?"

"For more than one reason, Jess…because you shouldn't need them, you're supposed to be safe here!" he cried, "I'm supposed to keep you safe," he added, the words barely audible.

Jess stepped forward, blue eyes locked on his hazel ones.

"You do, you always have. Remember the beetles?" she asked softly, placing a hand on his arm, "But you can't always be here Becker."

"I will always protect you Jessica, always and I'm going to start by making sure you can protect yourself."

"Thank you," she smiled, "What was the other reason? You said there was more than one."

Becker backed away, letting her hand fall from his arm, only to have her advance on him.

"It's not important, Jess," he said, stepping into the wall behind him.

"It is to me," she murmured, closing the distance between them.

"I can't do this Jessica. We can't do this… Every time I'm close to you, I want to touch you…to kiss you, that can't happen."

"Why? Why can't it? Especially if we both want it to!"

"Because I could get hurt or killed and you don't deserve to have to go through that. Because I can't afford a distraction, especially not one who's so close all the time," he explained.

"One, I think it should be my choice if I want to run the risk of getting hurt. Two…" she stepped closer, to where there were only mere inches between them, "…it sounds like I already am a distraction."

She was right, on both accounts.

"Why do you have to make this so impossible on me?"

"Because, I don't want you to run again Becker. Every time we get close to something, you shut down."

"That's because you deserve better than an emotionally inept soldier Jess."

"I happen to be in love with my emotionally inept soldier," she countered, smiling at him.

He brought his lips down against hers, wrapping one arm around her waist and tangling the other hand in her hair. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. He kissed her deeper, savoring the feel of her lips beneath his.

When they broke apart, they were both breathless and grinning like idiots. Becker kissed her one last time before putting the tough soldier front back on.

"Tomorrow you're going to learn to shoot properly and then you are going to have dinner with me, no arguments," he said before turning and heading for the door.


End file.
